World

How Dan Bilzerian’s Ignite Cannabis is Dealing with Canada’s Cannabis Act and Health Canada

Published

6 years ago

March 17, 2020

This month Dan Bilzerian’s Ignite International will take over Canada. Ignite’s team has worked hard to comply with restrictions implemented by Canada’s Cannabis Act and Health Canada.

Despite the obstacles, Ignite is accomplishing goals to ensure the trust of customers globally. Being a horizontally integrated company, Ignite has solidified partnerships with exceptional growers and manufacturers in Canada. Dan Bilzerian and his team want the best, and their search to obtain and maintain quality and dosage are not finished.

Ignite’s Global Head of Cannabis, Gene Bernaudo, discussed some of the challenges the brand has faced and how they are overcoming each, to show how consistent Ignite is in all aspects of the business.

Q: What was the process and timeline for CX Industries to sign the exclusive agreement with Ignite International Brands to supply premium cannabis & CBD products?

Bernaudo: As some may have heard, we are no longer doing business with CX Industries. I can’t really discuss the circumstances of the split. What I can tell you is, we have since partnered with CannMart a leading processor and distributor of cannabis in Canada. This was very strategic in nature. One of the reason we chose CannMart as a partner is because they do not have a grow. I bet you a bunch readers are scratching their heads right now. Yes, you read that right, we did not want to partner with a large commercial Licensed Producer, producing the same mediocre product as everyone else in the industry. A partnership with CannMart solidified processing and distribution channels which allowed my team and I to focus on sourcing product from craft growers who are producing small batch, high-end cannabis. With this strategy we were able to move very quickly. We finalized our partnership with CannMart in Dec 2019 and are launching Canada with 10 skus on March 13, 2020. We chose to start with the infamous BC market and scale our way across Canada.

Q: Canada’s ad industry has strict laws against celebrity endorsements for pot products. Did this play a factor in the naming of the company? Has Dan Bilzerian had to make any sacrifices to get Ignite into Canada?

Bernaudo: Dan is the CEO of Ignite International Brands, Ltd. This allows us some leeway in how he can speak about the products. I would say our approach is similar to the approach Bruce Linton took back in the early days when he was out doing roadshows and promoting Tweed. As far as sacrifices go, I wouldn’t call them sacrifices I would call them strategic adjustments. We have had to adjust the type of content we post and ensure we are compliant in all markets we do business in. To me this is a great sign, it means we continue to grow as a global brand and evolve as a business. At the end of the day, we are a cannabis company but we are also an International FMCG company (Fast moving Consumer Goods) which means we have to be able to pivot and adjust strategies based on regulations in jurisdictions we are doing business in. When you have one of the best marketing teams in the world backed by a social media genius it’s easier to get the job done.

Q: Ignite has plenty of celebrity endorsements posts on social platforms such as Nikita Dragun, Cardi B, and Jake Paul. Is this the most effective marketing strategy for Ignite? If so, how has Canada’s Cannabis Act been an issue?

Bernaudo: The celebrity endorsements you are referring to are not for our cannabis products. Most, if not all of your references endorse our CBD line and in the U.S. there is no rule against that. It’s a pretty level playing field up here, the only real issue the Cannabis Act has imposed on us is we cannot use our iconic Goat Head logo as it depicts an animal or fictional character and can be deemed to appeal to children. Rules are rules and we have been happy to abide by them.

Q: Dan Bilzerian highlighted having one proprietary device that holds THC, CBD, and Nicotine all in one so, he decided to attack the Juul market. How will this translate in Canada, knowing they have a temporary halt on the production of flavored e-cigarette pods?

Bernaudo: Great question, the vape market in Canada from a nicotine perspective has been a disaster from the start. I 100% agree with Health Canada’s stance here. Nicotine use amongst young people is the highest it’s ever been and its largely due to flavored e-liquid in all its forms. I don’t agree with a ban, but what I can tell you is Health Canada is consistent in how they regulate. Similar regulations will apply to nicotine. E-liquid flavors and or packaging/logos cannot “evoke a positive or negative emotion or ‘way of life’ such as one that includes glamour, recreation, excitement, vitality, risk or daring.” We do have a nicotine strategy for Canada, its largely based on waiting for regulations to be implemented, waiting for trade to open up again in China (due to Coronavirus) and of course, for the ban to be lifted. We have made major headway with the device in question and it will most likely be introduced first in Canada with THC and CBD pods as regulations permit its use.

Q: Dan Bilzerian markets Ignite Cannabis as an active lifestyle to sway from the original stigma of laziness. Canada’s Cannabis Act prohibits pot companies to “evoke a positive or negative emotion or ‘way of life’ such as one that includes glamour, recreation, excitement, vitality, risk or daring.” Luckily, Ignite is still able to conduct this kind of promotion in the US. Do you believe this was a loophole that helped the brand’s message reach Canadians?

Bernaudo: I think having a social reach of 43 million followers definitely helps get our message out there in any form we want to deliver it. I wouldn’t call it a loophole as we are not using it as such. We are an International company and post content and product placement ads on social channels conforming to regulatory requirements where the particular product we are advertising is being sold.

Q: What other obstacles have Ignite faced in expanding into Canada?

Bernaudo: The only obstacle we have faced in Canada is product procurement. The biggest challenge has been securing products out here that meet our team, including Dan’s, criteria. We are happy to recently have forged some solid partnerships with amazing craft growers that will ensure we are able to distribute quality, consistent cannabis products across Canada. All the retailers and Provincial boards have been very supportive, and we look forward to working closely with them to bring our products to consumers.

Q: What are Ignite’s launch plans for this week in Canada? Will Dan Bilzerian be in attendance?

Bernaudo: Our BC launch event will be held this Friday, March 13th, at Bar None in Downtown Vancouver. Dan will be on the ground the day prior to meet with partners and industry leaders as we continue to grow relationships north of the border. He will also attend the launch event alongside hundreds of partygoers eager to celebrate Ignite’s Canadian Launch.

World

Criminal probe focussed on Mehtas shipping business

Published

1 month ago

August 6, 2025

Jonathan Grilli

From Monitoring Desk

DUBAI: An Asian family linked with the shipping business is facing criminal investigation in several jurisdictions including in Dubai and Far East where the family’s companies are under active investigation now, according to the authorities in three countries.

Sanjay and Gaurav Mehta, through their companies Best Oasis Ltd in Dubai and Priya Blue Industries in Gujarat, are facing investigations over money-laundering suspicions and suspected links to the Russian oil sector, sanctioned by the western countries, sources shared.

Sanjay and Gaurav Mehta, through their companies Best Oasis Ltd in Dubai and Priya Blue Industries in Gujarat have projected an image of environmental responsibility in ship recycling. They have tout certifications, attend global summits, and positioned themselves as ESG-compliant but their business practices have come under intense probe now. Their operations reportedly involve dismantling high-risk ships, using cash transactions, and leveraging political connections to avoid accountability, a source shared looking into the companies’ affairs. The investigation is being conducted in Dubai and the Far East.

The investigators are looking at the Mehtas operations dating back to 2006 when they came to attention of the law enforcement for the first time. Priya Blue dismantled the “Blue Lady” in 2006, a vessel containing over 1,200 tons of asbestos and radioactive waste, despite protests and objections from Greenpeace. Later, the “Exxon Valdez,” notorious for a major oil spill, was renamed “Oriental Nicety” and dismantled by the Mehtas in Gujarat, drawing international attention. In recent years, their transactions have become less conspicuous but reportedly more hazardous.

In 2025, Best Oasis allegedly acquired and dismantled at least four vessels linked to sanctioned entities, including Iranian and Houthi-controlled networks. These weren’t obscure ships; they were designated under U.S. terrorism sanctions for their involvement in oil smuggling and arms transport. According to investigators, here are the details of the sanctioned ships dismantled by Best Oasis in 2025: IMO: 9155808, Name: NOLAN (SOLAN), Sanction: SDN (SDGT), Beaching: 31 Jan 2025, Plot 16; IMO: 9221657, Name: BLUEFINS, Sanction: SDN (SDGT); Beaching: 26 Feb 2025, Plot 16; IMO: 9105085, Name: CONTRACT II, Sanction: SDN risk, Beaching: Arrived mid-2025, Plot 27; IMO: 9209300, Name: GAMA II, Sanction: SDN (SDGT); and Beaching: Pending/Planned, Plot 34

All four vessels were reportedly dismantled in Alang on plots leased by proxy firms connected to the Mehtas. These short-term leases, approved on a ship-by-ship basis by the Gujarat Maritime Board, reportedly make regulatory oversight nearly impossible. Once dismantling is complete, plot registrations often lapse, leaving no long-term record, according to documents shared by the investigators in Dubai.

Rahul Mistry, a shipping compliance researcher, noted this as a growing pattern: “This is a pattern we’ve seen more frequently in the last two years sanctioned hulls arriving under the radar, processed fast, with no digital trace.”

Payments for these vessels reportedly bypassed normal financial channels. According to sources familiar with the deals, transactions were settled in cash, either on-site or through offshore handlers. One source described entire ship values being paid in foreign currency bundles, avoiding Indian and Dubai banking disclosures, said one of the investigators familiar with the matter.

A retired port official Mr. Akin Yadav, familiar with Alang and Gujarat Maritime Board approvals stated that short-term leases are routinely used to avoid scrutiny, adding, “It was never meant to be a permanent workaround. But it’s become one.”

Political connections also reportedly play a role. Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Gujarat State Minister Jitu Vaghani have been linked to approvals granted for Best Oasis and its proxies. While there’s no direct evidence of personal gain, sources allege that both men used their influence to expedite approvals, slow down inquiries, and shield the companies from enforcement.

Despite these activities in India, Best Oasis is expanding under new branding. A recent joint venture in Japan with Hiroshi Abe is being marketed as a clean, regionally responsible recycling partner for Japanese shipowners.

Mariko Fujita, a Tokyo-based maritime consultant, observed, “They’re presenting themselves as a new entity with no reference to past controversies. But none of the underlying ownership or structure has changed.”

In Alang, the situation reportedly remains much the same. Plot numbers are reassigned, cash continues to circulate and the same network of breakers and handlers is reportedly involved. Individuals like Jayant Vanani (also known as Budhabhai Patel) and Ramesh Mendapara are frequently named in connection with specific beachings, including “Contract II” and “GAMA II.” Both have been previously linked to other shadow transactions involving distressed or sanctioned tonnage.

Several yards allegedly connected to Best Oasis, including Shantamani Ship Breakers and Sai Baba Ship Breakers, reportedly operate with minimal inspection, despite numerous reports of irregularities in worker safety, hazardous waste disposal, and compliance with Indian scrapping codes.

This system, according to multiple sources, appears to be intentionally designed to operate in plain sight with just enough paperwork to pass basic scrutiny but not enough to trigger meaningful enforcement. There is no indication that regulatory bodies including customs, port health officers, or environmental oversight panels have conducted full inspections of any of the sanctioned vessels listed. Most were reportedly cleared and dismantled within days of arrival.

Rahul Mistry said: “This isn’t merely a loophole; it’s reportedly a business model. Best Oasis and Priya Blue are allegedly running a high-volume, low-visibility operation that filters sanctioned, end-of-life ships through legal instruments to appear legitimate on paper. This reportedly involves routing untaxed funds and shielded actors through a well-connected political and industrial network. As global scrutiny of ESG practices intensifies, many of these activities are allegedly being whitewashed through new partnerships and branding, but the underlying mechanisms reportedly remain unchanged.”